The Aunts

Even as I write, I was supposed to be on a flight from Memphis to Jacksonville to spend Spring Break with my beloved aunts. My flight was cancelled. They rescheduled me on tomorrow's flights. Our little north Mississippi corner of God's beautiful world got a little prettier during the night last night with a thin, soft white blanket of snow. It's the first covering we've had all year. I have serious doubts that my flight's cancellation had anything to do with the weather, however, since multitudes of other planes are flying in and out of Memphis this morning.


God is so wonderfully good and His blessings so sweet. I have been incredibly excited about my upcoming trip for way over a month since I began its planning and am tremendously looking forward to being with my aunts. Normally, I would be terribly disappointed by this change in plans. But GOD . . . and doesn't "but GOD" just say it ALL? . . . But GOD has filled my heart with His perfect peace from the first moment I got to the airport and found out my flight was cancelled. He has filled me with unbelievable JOY in knowing that He is in control of every event and plan in my life. I am so beyond grateful for what God is doing in my life that I don't even know how to describe it. It's sure not "me" - it's Him - ALL HIM! The old Beverly, has never dealt well with disappointment in her entire life. The old Beverly would have been scowling instead of smiling at the airline employees this morning. The old Beverly would have been fuming about my inconvenience. I'm astounded at the miracle God is working in my faulty offering of humanity; for I've learned all too well that apart from Him NOTHING good resides in me. I said it the other day and I'll say it again because I know no other way to express it . . . 'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus!


I want to say just a word about the Aunts. Did you ever watch the Sarah Plain and Tall trilogy? They're some of my favorite Hallmark Hall of Fame movies. In them, Sarah Wheaton, (played by Glenn Close) leaves her home in Maine for the Kansas prairie in answer to Jacob Witting's (Christopher Walken) advertisement for a "kind woman" to care for his two motherless children. In the course of the saga, of course, Sarah marries Jacob and brings love and healing to his family. My favorite part of the story-line is Sarah's connection with "the Aunts" as she refers to her three eccentric old-maid aunts back in Maine who are much beloved by her and have had huge influence and impact on the woman Sarah knows herself to be.


My Aunts are neither eccentric nor old-maids. They are both very down-to-earth, practical, busy women with families of their own. But like Sarah's aunts, they have loved me all my life and their love and relationship over the years have undoubtedly contributed to the woman I am.


My Aunt Nelle has played the role of a "second" mother for me most of my life. She is one of the most loving and generous people to populate our planet. Will Rogers said of himself, "I never met a man I didn't like." I've always said of Aunt Nelle, "She's never met a child she didn't LOVE!" With more nieces and nephews than I can count (accurately), how does she make each and every one of us feel like we are her favorite??


That's her on the left and my mom on the right guiding my very first steps way back in 1946.


Here I am a few years later in two places I still love to be - the "Old Fort" in St. Augustine and embraced by one of Aunt Nelle's hugs.


Aunt Nelle has a tender and compassionate heart that moves her easily to tears. She has an inner strength that, coupled with her positive attitude, has seen her through some of life's worst struggles . . . the loss of a long awaited child and the loss of a dearly loved husband. She has an inner strength that has given her the courage to face her tomorrows with hope and resilience. I have learned from her example that "tomorrow" may not promise to be easy but you can find the courage to press on.


I don't think I probably needed much encouragement to be a girly-girl but here in this third picture she's teaching me to primp. In fact, she wanted my mother to name me Priscilla so she could call me Prissy! GRIN


Aunt Nelle has a genuine acceptance of people "right where they are." You'll seldom find her "casting stones." She has a genuine and warm grace about her. Knowing her makes me want to be less critical and judgmental of others and open and embracing like she is.


Where Aunt Nelle was like another mother to me, my Aunt Nancy is like the older sister I never had. The youngest of the six children in my dad's family, Aunt Nancy was born 12 years after her nearest sibling (Aunt Nelle), when her mother was 45 years old, already gray haired and a grandmother to three! She was an adorable five year old when my mother and father married and seven when I was born.

This is Aunt Nancy with me on my first Easter. How's that for a bonnet??

As a bratty adolescent, I was in awe of my teenage aunt. I loved being at my grandparents' house when her dates would pick her up. I loved watching her get ready. And when she would leave on her date, I loved sneaking into her room, sitting at her vanity, playing with her perfumes, and pretending I was her. I remember once gazing in her mirror while holding one of her bras in front of me and wondering if I would ever need to wear one of those wierd things! LOL

Aunt Nancy, always very mature for her age, married at 17, a month after graduating from high school. I was 12 when she had her first son. She included me in every phase of her pregnancy, showing me things in the books she was reading and letting me feel the baby kick inside her tummy. It was my first such experience and the things she taught me paved the way to educating me for the day I too would be a mother.

I suppose the area of marriage is where Aunt Nancy has taught me the most. She has shown me that loyalty to your spouse must be a number one priority. She has taught me that communication and working through problems are essential to a lasting marriage. After nearly 53 years, she and her husband are each other's best friend and wildest love.

For many years I have watched Aunt Nancy sing her husband's praises in front of him . . . and I have watched his face glow with pride and affirmation from her appreciation. Her comments are genuine. Never will you hear her talking about him behind his back. She adores him and he fully reciprocates. She makes me want to be a wife that blesses my husband by my words AND my deeds, the way she does.

This is the three of us (probably) around 1950 . . . you do the math but I think that makes me 5 in the picture, Aunt Nancy 12 and Aunt Nelle about 24. GRIN These two siblings may have been separated in birth by 12 long years but there is NO separation in relationship between the two of them. They have the closest sister bond imaginable and I am blessed beyond measure that they draw me into their circle. Their belief in me makes me want to be a better person. Their comfort shelters my neediness. Their love nourishes my soul.

Thank You, my Holy Father for the gift of FAMILY. Psalm 68:6 says "God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land." Thank You, Father, for You have led me forth from my prison of darkness and placed a song in my heart. You have broken the chains of my rebellion, brought me out of my wilderness and set me free. You have blessed me abundantly with family that You use as Your instruments to mold and teach me. I thank You for the opportunity You have set before me to visit my precious Aunts and trust You to minister Your grace in our midst as we enjoy our time together.